A delightful introduction to African stories of tigers, lions, turtles, and a famous spider.
A spider and trickster stars in this collection of seven folktales.
In this volume, Duncan has compiled a series of stories that she told over the years as a children’s librarian. They all feature Anansi, a spider and trickster from West African folklore. According to the author, Anansi tales were brought to the United States and the Caribbean with the slave trade, with the spider continuing his tricks with animals in the New World. In this book, they include Tiger and Turtle. Anansi is the constant in the seven stories, including the first, in which he tricks Tiger into naming tales after him (hence, readers are perusing the “Anansi stories”). In many of the tales, Anansi plays tricks, such as conning Turtle into doing work for him and cheating Lion out of some yams. A few stories don’t involve pranks, such as “Anansi and the Hat-Shaking Dance,” which explains why most spiders don’t have hair and like tall grass. In the last tale, Anansi is back to tricking Tiger, and at the end, it’s clear that the spider continues to play his pranks. “He is still playing tricks to this day, so be very careful if you run into him!” Duncan writes. The tales are all brought to life with the help of the whimsical, colorful images by South African illustrator Newsome, who skillfully portrays Turtle, Tiger, and, of course, Anansi. Anansi isn’t a particularly likable character. In fact, he’s sometimes a trickster, sometimes a fibber, and sometimes a lazy spider. As Turtle says, “Anansi says all the right things, but he does all the wrong things.” Still, he’s basically harmless, and children, no doubt, will be entertained by his antics. The author has honed these stories over the years. They are tightly written and follow a comfortable, if predictable, rhythm: Anansi wants something, tells lies or tricks someone to get it, and often finds that in the end he has been deceived. There are a few tales that go on too long, but for the most part, this collection is an easy read that showcases an African folklore legend.
A delightful introduction to African stories of tigers, lions, turtles, and a famous spider.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 9781039141247
Page Count: 49
Publisher: FriesenPress
Review Posted Online: Jan. 3, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A tremendous return.
Several months have passed since the events of The Rise of the Jumbies (2017), when Corinne La Mer faced her mother’s sister, Severine, and the mighty Mama D’Leau, the jumbies of forest and sea.
Corinne anxiously awaits her father’s yellow fishing boat every day, scanning the sea for trouble, afraid that Severine will come back for revenge. Her friends encourage her to keep her mind on land rather than the waters. One day, an out-of-season hurricane suddenly turns the island upside down. As the hurricane rips the island apart, the villagers take to the mountains for shelter. There, Corinne finds Papa Bois, guardian jumbie of the forest. He tells her the storm is the work of the jumbie god, Huracan. Even though she’s half jumbie herself, Corinne isn’t sure how to stop the mighty god from destroying the island. What could cause such fury? With the help of her friends, human and jumbie, Corinne sets out to fix things once and for all and to face Huracan himself. With this strong return to the Jumbies series, Baptiste engages all the senses, from the taste of sweet oranges to the scent of salty air. Corinne strengthens her relationships with the island, the people, and all the creatures within. Her determination, compassion, and bravery will inspire readers to face down any challenges crossing their paths. Baptiste carefully represents Caribbean diversity; most characters are Afro Caribbean like Corinne, but friend Dru’s heritage is South Asian.
A tremendous return. (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-61620-891-2
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Algonquin
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2019
PERSPECTIVES
A delectable treat for food and literary connoisseurs alike
Eleven-year-old Mira “Mimi” Mackson is a baking prodigy from a small Massachusetts town called Comity (a thinly disguised Concord).
Mimi is the youngest member of a large family: Her Indian American mom is a successful software consultant, her white dad is a renowned food writer and critic, and her three older siblings (all biracial, like Mimi) excel at acting, dance, and soccer. Although Mimi enjoys creating new treats for her family and experimenting with uncommon flavors, she sometimes feels out of place and invisible amid her accomplished siblings. When a new bakery in town, the While Away Bakery and Café, announces a baking contest for children, Mimi is excited to compete and show off her talents. Things get complicated, however, when Mimi’s father falls under an enchantment that causes him to not only lose his refined sense of taste, but also eat everything in sight. Loosely based on A Midsummer Night’s Dream and inspired by TV shows like The Great British Baking Show, LaRocca’s debut is original and compelling. The realistic characters and complex family dynamics augment the tightly knit plot, and the mouthwatering descriptions of food are guaranteed to make readers hungry. Three recipes at the end of the novel (based on the characters’ concoctions) are an added bonus for those interested in developing their culinary skills.
A delectable treat for food and literary connoisseurs alike . (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: June 4, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4998-0888-9
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Review Posted Online: April 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2019
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